Debates of Sept. 26th, 2018

Justice

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the individual in question was classified as a medium security risk a number of years ago and continued to be classified in 2014 when she was transferred to this new facility as medium security.

On this side of the House, we do not look to politicize tragedies like this. We expect people to do their jobs, and that is what we are ensuring will happen.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

That is the whole point, Mr. Speaker. They are not doing their job. This is not a minimum security risk. This is a convicted killer who has been found guilty of the most horrific crimes, the types of things all parents are so fearful of.

We, as elected representatives, and the Prime Minister have an obligation and a responsibility to make it right when officials get it wrong. He knows he has the power to do that. This person bragged about stomping on the face of a fellow inmate, bragging to her friends that she had committed hateful acts in prison. Will he do the right thing and reverse this decision?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will let Canadians make a determination of who is politicizing this situation.

The individual in question was transferred to a medium security facility in 2014. She is still in a medium security facility now.

Status of Women

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Bill S-3, an act to amend the Indian Act, still contains gender-based discrimination.

The Superior Court of Quebec ordered Canada to address all exclusions based on gender, but Bill S-3 only removes certain obstacles. Gender inequality continues to exist today, in 2018.

As this is Gender Equality Week, can the Prime Minister confirm today that he will eliminate all inequalities in Bill S-3, an act to amend the Indian Act?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this week we are celebrating Gender Equality Week. We know that we still have a lot of work to do to achieve equality in many areas. We continue to work in partnership with indigenous peoples on reconciliation, equality and ending marginalization. We will continue to work on and apply different approaches to the problems of inequality between men and women in Canada. We have made great progress, but we still have work to do.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Lynn Gehl is an outspoken advocate for removing sex-based discrimination in the Indian Act, and was herself impacted by an unstated paternity policy that still remains today. Dr. Gehl went to court to win her battle against a hierarchy that should not even exist.

It is 2018. Courts ruled that the federal government needs to remove all discriminatory clauses in the act, and that charter rights must be respected. The Indian Act still discriminates against women.

When will the Liberal government do something about it?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, sex-based equity is a fundamental human right. The recent incorrect media reports containing inflated unstated paternity numbers have now been corrected.

Bill S-3 eliminated all sex-based discrimination from the Indian Act registration provisions, including enshrining additional procedural protections for unstated paternity. We recognize that there are a number of flaws within the Indian Act. That is why we have committed to work with indigenous peoples across this country to move forward beyond the Indian Act. We look forward to that path toward reconciliation with them over the years and decades to come.

Indigenous Affairs

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, I visited Red Sucker Lake, the home of the late Elijah Harper, an isolated community northeast of Winnipeg, where I met Rhonda. We talked about her two beautiful kids. We talked about being moms.

As I was leaving, she told me how happy she was it was summertime because she could stay in her house, a house that was covered partially by a tarp and without a bathroom, in Canada, in 2018.

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is his government failing first nations people like Rhonda and so many first nations women across this country, failing to act on the housing crisis that exists in Canada today?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the need for all Canadians, particularly indigenous Canadians, to have safe, affordable housing. The situation is one that we have moved forward to correcting. In our first years in government, we moved forward with $8.6 billion toward indigenous communities, particularly housing, among other things. We recognize there are still significant needs, which is why we have moved forward with a $40-billion national housing strategy that will have many different aspects and components. We will ensure that more Canadians have affordable and safe places to live.

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous peoples in remote communities are living in third-world conditions. The story that my colleague from Churchill—Keewatinook Aski told is shocking. A mother with two children to look after is living in a house with no bathroom and practically no roof. That is unacceptable in 2018. The Liberals must hear just as many stories like this as we do.

How can they ignore the housing crisis in indigenous communities? When will they implement a targeted strategy?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, no government has taken the commitment to reconciliation and investments for indigenous peoples as seriously as we do. We are making great headway when it comes to building new housing, opening new schools and setting up new health care centres. We know that there is still a lot of work to be done. We have made real investments across the country, which have had a significant impact on various communities. We will continue to work with indigenous peoples to ensure that families like the one just mentioned are treated fairly, given every opportunity and, most importantly, kept safe.

Justice

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic was found guilty of first-degree murder and rape and torture of eight-year-old Tori Stafford. She was sentenced to life in prison. Eight years into her prison sentence, she is being moved to a healing facility. This is a bad decision by officials. On any calculus, this is a bad decision. When bad decisions were shown to us as a government, we intervened. We stopped rapist and murderer Paul Bernardo from receiving conjugal visits. We blocked child killer Clifford Olson from receiving pension benefits.

When confronted with bad decisions, a good government acts. Why is this Prime Minister not acting?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the previous government, in 2014, transferred this individual to a medium-security facility. She is still in a medium-security facility now. The level to which the member opposite is playing politics with a terrible tragedy is yet again an example of the depths to which the members opposite continue to stoop.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when the government members applaud, the way they do, that incredibly despicable answer, what they are applauding is the victim not getting her justice. Today we speak here for Tori Stafford. Canadians understand—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. We need to hear the question and of course the answer after that. Order.

The hon. member for Milton.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, the difficulty with a government receiving a bad decision is that the decision has to be made then to act. We acted every single time we found out that a bad decision that infuriates Canadians was made. This is a terrible decision. It is despicable. Why are the government and the Prime Minister not acting?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize for the noise from my backbench.

The member opposite was part of a government that in 2014 transferred this individual to a medium-security facility. That individual is still in a medium-security facility. These are the political games the members opposite are choosing to play.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness referred to the crimes committed by Terri-Lynne McClintic as “bad practices”. What she did was not bad practices. It was a despicable crime. She was convicted of the heinous murder of an eight-year-old child, yet the minister agreed to transfer her to a healing lodge. That is simply preposterous. The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision.

Why does he not send her back to a maximum-security facility?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this is yet another question on the same issue. The previous Conservative government transferred this individual to a medium-security prison in 2014. She is still in a medium-security facility now.

The level of political game-playing we are seeing right now is disturbing.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what is disturbing is the answer Canadians are getting from the Prime Minister.

We are talking about the kidnapping, rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl, yet all we hear from the Prime Minister is that he is asking for a review of the decision. This was a heinous murder, and a bad decision was made. The Prime Minister has the power to change it.

Why is he not reversing this decision and sending this murderer back to a maximum-security prison?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we live under the rule of law. Politicians do not get to make decisions in regard to the justice system. We respect the system.

I will repeat once more that this individual was transferred in 2014. She remains in a facility with the same security level.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to state for the record that the only political games being played in this House today are the word games being conducted by the Prime Minister of Canada on this very important issue. Terri-Lynne McClintic helped lure Tori, hit Tori three times in the head with a claw hammer; she was a look-out while Tori was raped and then helped place Tori's body in a garbage bag. The Prime Minister knows full well that he has the power and authority to change this case in an instant. Why will he not use his power and authority right now to do the right thing for Tori's family and the right thing for society?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I hope Canadians pay attention to that question and this answer.

In 2014, the individual was transferred to a medium-security facility under the previous government. The individual is still in a medium-security facility today.

That question needs to be noticed by Canadians and that behaviour needs to be noticed by Canadians.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the facility does not even have a fence, but it does have cooking classes.

The fact of the matter is that the Minister of Public Safety characterized the killer's conduct as “bad practices”.

When is the Prime Minister going to do the right thing, admonish his minister, do the right thing for people who care about justice in our society and make sure that the killer is put right back behind bars?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, one of the things we see in politics these days is a level of polarization, a level of populism, that is creeping into our discourse.

On this side of the House we choose to anchor our decisions in fact, in the rule of law and in due process. This is what we will continue to do.

The individual was transferred under the previous government to a medium-security facility. She is still in a medium-security facility.